Ingredients for a Basic Risotto Recipe

Are you an aspiring chef, but can’t seem to make it past line cook? Did you audition for Hell’s Kitchen, only to chicken out at the last minute because of the nightmares of Chef Ramsay two inches from your face, giving you a rather harsh dressing down about the texture or flavor of your risotto? Do you feel a yearning sensation to call the number of one of those late night cooking college commercials, but just can’t bring yourself to do it? So you say you’re not ready to cook over the open flame of public scrutiny, whether it’s in an upscale restaurant or as a private chef or caterer? Why not practice your chops at home…with help from a few of the experts from ExpertVillage, of course?

In this gourmet cooking class on video, learn how to make the perfect risotto, a toasted rice dish that incorporates broth, vegetables and cheese. Famously touted as the dish most often flubbed by contestants on the popular cooking show Hell’s Kitchen, risotto isn’t really that difficult to prepare…if you know what you’re doing. Chef Leslie McKenna will make sure that you get the recipe right where others have gone astray. Watch these simple to follow, step-by-step videos and get the recipe right the first time. Perhaps with a little practice, you’ll develop enough skill and confidence to show up for that audition, make that call, or take that interview. Bonne chance et bon appetit.

"Hi this is Leslie at Chefs Cooking school on behalf of Expert Village today we are going to be talking about artichoke heart and risotto. First thing we are going to do today is we are going to talk about our ingredients we are going to using shallots which is a small red onion. Very nice and sweet. We are going to be using fresh basil leaves, we would be using artichoke hearts, a little bit of garlic, some fontina cheese, a little bit of Parmesan cheese and of course our Arborio rice which is a small grain Italian rice. First thing you want to do when you are serving your risotto which is very important is you want to have your stock you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock and you want to have it boiling or simmering cause you want to add a hot liquid to your risotto to be able to release the starches so it becomes nice and creamy. So the first thing you would do is you would heat up your stock and then leave it on a simmer."